Target Mandarin eating snail eggs....?

I have had my target mandarin (Synchiropus picturatus) for almost a month now and the only thing I have ever seen him eat is snail eggs. In fact, the only time you ever see him is when he is going up and down the back of the tank wall biting at what could only be snail eggs. I put mysis along the rocks for him to pick up, but I never see him go after them... He has a nice fat belly, no interest in the copepods when I move them to the display tank.

So here's my question: does anybody else have a target mandarin with particular food preferences? Or any other saltwater fish with peculiar food choices?

I have a mandarin and a harlequin shrimp. Define particular.

By particular, I meant more peculiar, mandarins typically are very drawn to copepods, but mine ignores them to go for snail eggs, lol. Harlequin shrimp, not particular, lol, just about everything is game...

You're being sarcastic about the harlequins right?

Yes, sarcasm escapes the grasp of computer keyboards...

Totally bummed. I spent a year growing out an asterina infestation so that one day I could have a harlequin. It took the dang thing 9 weeks to completely wipe it out. Now what?

You've got me, I have no idea. I guess that just proves once again, there are no guarantees in saltwater, lol!

no no... there's 1. Harlequin shrimp will eat starfish. As advertised all day long.

LOL, I stand corrected. Well, there you go, an expensive, but viable food source...

i had a pair of harlequin's (traded them away, they got expensive...well more than i wanted to spend on food lol) but a chocolate chip star would last them 3-4 days and at under 10 bucks usually not too much. My 2 mandarins have been alive 2-5 years and honestly i have no idea what they prefer to eat i never paid attention i just know they buzz around like little hummingbirds pecking at the rocks and glass 24/7 every now and then they,ll eat small live brine when i give my tank a treat